Cambridge
by Caine's Kiss
Summary: A continuation of Gregory's story though really more of a collection of short stories that follow a theme. Gregory travels to Cambridge to meet the remnants of his Family, there he encounters a familiar face.
1. Fireside Chat

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Fireside Chat

caineskiss@hotmail.com

It was a normal winter's day outside the college rooms, and the college rooms were pretty normal for a Cambridge University college too: oak panelling, piles of books over the floor, writing desk in a corner and a roaring fire to keep out the cold. In a side room was a kitchen with a fused kettle. In the room were two gentlemen, a small circular side table between with a pot of strong black tea and milk and sugar.

The side table rested between two elegant winged chairs the two men sitting in the chairs were quite different. One was white haired old man in a tweed suit and the other was younger: a young man of about twenty years old with long locks that cascaded off of his head in dark cascades. He wore a red satin shirt with fine flowery cuffs and a pair of black trousers, on a hat stand hung a black frock coat. The young man looked intently into the flames leap and crackle before saying quietly…

"It's been a long time Cousin."

"Yes, my dear boy, far too long. But how are you? And Phyllisopora?"

"Dead."

"You look alive to me. Oh you mean Phyllisopora. You're quite sure. Our kind has a habit of…"

"…dispersing like everything else when they're vaporised."

"Why?"

"Apparently because she was protecting me. Or she was a loose end. I didn't know…post-regenerative trauma, and then she gave a nano-virus that re-engineered me to human. No memory, no idea."

"It would explain why she kept me away."

"No, that can be explained by the fact that she was trying to find my TARDIS manual."

"That too, would be a valid explanation. And the other Cousins?"

"The House was razed to the ground and surviving Cousins were terminated for 'security reasons'. We are both exiles and renegades "

"In that you are wrong, my boy. The High President herself has granted that my existence will be kept secret."

"Herself?"

"You **have **been a away a long time haven't you. Romanadvoratrelundar is the President now."

"Well, four-hundred years **is** a long time in politics." said the young man, smiling at the archaic Gallifreyan aphorism. "Seriously Salyavin, I dont think this branch of my erstwhile employers are spectacularly interested in 'Presidential Secret Keeping'. Not even that much has changed since my days in the CIA."

"I'm sure they won't have to wait long. It's nearly time."

"For what?"

"The End. The Final Act."

"Sorry, I'm wasting your time Cousin. I'm sure you have better things to do."

"Not at all, I always have time for Family, and you are the last member of it." 

There was a tap at the door as he finished, and a young female voice called out. "Professor Chronotis, I'm for my supervision."

The younger man stood up, "I'd better go, I'll see you around."

The door opened as the young man turned towards the fire donning his dark frock coat. His silhouette was outlined starkly by the fire; Chronotis gestured to the recently vacated chair and said, "Sit down my dear, and…oh dear."

Stacey fainted as the tall gentleman turned round to face her.

FIN


	2. Familiar Faces

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Familiar Faces

caineskiss@hotmail.com

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This is the second half of the story "Fireside Chat", again it features Gregory, the Time Lord renegade who regains his memory on 21st Century Earth. Here's the clincher: meeting the ex.

"But you're dead!"

"Do I look dead?"

Gregory had been having this conversation for the better part of an hour and it was beginning to great, Stacey's insistence on his biologically impaired state that prompted his return question.

"No, are you like…a vampire?"

Gregory winced as if struck. Stacey looked shocked at his strong reaction, but memorised it for later.

"What did I say?" she asked apparently innocently.

"Family History," Gregory muttered inaudibly, then he sighed, "No. I'm not a vampire. Did you see me die? Was there a body?"

Stacey opened her mouth to reply but Gregory cut her off. "No and No! You assumed I was dead, and moved on."

Stacey lost her temper, "Well pardon me! When they were dredging the river and hunting for you and Phyllis, was there a post-it on the fridge saying 'Just popped out for six years. Love You, bye!' There wasn't! You just upped sticks and left to god-knows-where. The police told me you were both probably dead. I inherited the lot, a nice cottage that reminds me of you and a sizeable fortune that got me here, through tutorships and hard work."

Gregory raised his eyebrows at her tirade but stayed remarkably cool. The Gregory she remembered would have tried to reassure her. There was an arch smile, but looking into his eyes she saw an almost glacial feeling. It reminded her of something that she could not quite put her finger on…then…

"Enjoying it?" Gregory said softly, mockingly.

Stacey sat with her mouth open. There was no humanity in those eyes, the warmth she remembered from her Greg was gone, replaced by an absence.

"What are you?" she gasped.

"Interesting question. What are you studying for?"

"I asked first."

"And I asked second, you see, time and chronological order is irrelevent."

"A Doctorate in Physics. Specializing in Theory."

"Theory?" He paused. "Time travel, Wormholes, the Fifth Dimension etcetera."

Stacey nodded

He smiled, "How would you like see theory put into practice?"

"You still didn't answer my question."

"I know."

There was a heavy pause; 'Gregory' sat impassively watching her, waiting for something to happen. Stacey fidgeted looking for something to say. 'Gregory' had wrong-footed her, not an entirely comfortable situation but one that was refreshing. It wasn't something she really found with her colleagues or her boyfriend. Stacey had had a string of unsatisfying relationships which failed to stimulate her mentally and physically, Gregory had been bright, cute and caring. Her current boyfriend was a fellow student Marc, he was…well, two out of three wasn't bad. Marc just didn't relate to people well. She shivered and rubbed the bruise on her arm.

'Gregory' gave a look of concern, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…I bruised my arm on a door."

'Gregory' coughed "Bollocks!"

"Excuse me"

"Your boyfriend has been hitting you."

The statement stopped the natural flow of the conversation. 

'Gregory' continued oblivious. "You know ninety years ago, in your society, that would have been perfectly acceptable. I've always found how ideas change so quickly with humans, it's fascinating, it probably comes of being so short-lived." Stacey started to say something, but 'Gregory' handed her a card. "Here's where I'm staying. I'd thought I'd see the sights. If you want to chat some more, you know where I am. It's been fun but I had a guided tour ten minutes ago." 

He stood up and walked out, closing the door with a gentle click, leaving Stacey alone with her thoughts.

FIN


	3. Coffee Shop

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Coffee Shop

caineskiss@hotmail.com

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Before we start I would like to respond to a message from Psychic_Suzanne (loco_en_la_cabesa@hotmail.com), she writes…

__

"Ok, first the problem. Your hero's personality wasn't established very well in the last story, so instead of understanding his motivations, the reader of -this- story doesn't know what to think. Is he good? Is he evil? Is he acting that way for a reason?  
Then the praise: This is cool. And I like Chronotis (put him in more!)and I hope you'll continue. I also hope that you'll put the Doctor in (perhaps there's some bad blood between Gregory and him--just a thought), and I also hope that you flesh out Gregory. Give him a definite personality and give us some insights to his thoughts and you'll have an awesome story on your hands.  
Rock on!"

Thank you, Suzanne. In response to that I would like to state a simple thing: Time Lords are not human. They are one of the most advanced races in the universe, time and space, two things that are very important to human goals and motivations (i.e. where am I going to…. , when am I going to), have little meaning to a race that can go practically anywhere and anywhen in the Universe. I want to give my Time Lord characters an air of mystery, and occasionally menace. 

I would also like to point out that in life you rarely find GOOD people and BAD people. As human nature is so dazzlingly complex, therefore an ancient alien race with a culture, so historically diverse (If you don't believe me go read NAs Time's Crucible and Lungbarrow), must be fantastically complex in 'alignment' and action. Of course, Gregory has a dark past, otherwise I wouldn't mention it in my bio. However, Suzanne I quite understand where you're coming from but I don't wish to reveal everything at once. For another small glimpse of Gregory's life as Avanno of Gallifrey, you'll have to wait until the next tale, before then I give you the final short story in the Cambridge collection. In this story, Gregory again meets Stacey, this time in a café…keep your reviews and comments coming in. Cheers.

Stacey looked at the well-thumbed card in her hand. It was simple and ornate, it belonged to one of the better Cambridge hotels: The Grand Palace.

"It's nice," said a familiar voice behind her, "but I think Versailles was better."

Stacey looked round startled, it was Faux Gregory. In her mind, since the conversation a few days ago, Stacey had taken to calling this stranger Faux Gregory to distinguish him from her dead boyfriend.

"I'm waiting for Marc."

"Who suggested you come here?" It was almost a question 

It had been Marc's idea, he said he liked the ambience. It was because this café was cheap and less bad compared to some…in truth, Stacey loathed it.

"Why?" She asked.

"It just seem like your kind of place. You were always a Starbucks' girl."

Stacey smiled at the memories, then she remembered something about the previous conversation they had had. 

"You never answered my question."

'Gregory' pulled up a chair, "Which one?"

"The one about what you are."

"Give me your hand."

Stacey didn't argue, she was curious to know who this stranger was and why he was so familiar with her and why he wore the face of her former boyfriend like a mask. She reached out and touched his flattened palm. It felt cold, like touching the hand of a corpse, she had felt the chill before on that night when Gregory had disappeared. This time there was life, despite the chill she could feel the beat of his heart, it was different, there was a rapidity that seemed surprising as it appeared that 'Gregory' looked totally at ease. In fact, she could not be sure but it appeared that…

"You have two hearts!" Said Stacey in utter shock.

'Gregory' smiled as the door jangled. She saw Marc framed in the doorway, he frowned as she snatched her hand away from 'Gregory'. Marc strode over and looked down darkly at 'Gregory'.

"Who are you?"

"Stacey was asking me that…I'm Gregory." He put out his hand to shake. Marc refused leaving 'Gregory' standing there with his hand out waiting for Marc to shake it.

"Who are you?" repeated Marc sullenly.

"I told you," said Gregory, as if talking a particularly slow-witted child, "I am Gregory Smith, and Stacey is one of my oldest and dearest friends."

"You." Marc's eyes flashed with enlightenment. "You're the ex-boyfriend. I thought you were dead."

"Funny that. Charmed to meet you." Gregory bowed mockingly.

Marc lost interest in the newcomer and turned to Stacey.

"Kiss." There was little or no affection, it was barked like a command, out of the corner of her eye Stacey swore she could have seen Gregory's lips twist into a snarl. Stacey stood up and gave him a peck on the cheek. He grabbed and twisted her into a crushingly passionate kiss that bruised her lips. He dropped Stacey back into her chair with a thud, she decided to make the belated introductions.

"This is my former boyfriend: Gregory."

"I was in the area and dropped by." Continued Gregory. He chuckled. "So you're the current model then."

"Yeah." Replied Marc sullenly.

"And…?"

"And what?"

"I don't really know…I was hoping you'd be more talkative."

'Gregory' turned to Stacey and repeated, "He's not very talkative."

Stacey didn't reply, she felt that 'Gregory' was testing Marc like the conversation they had had in her room. She wasn't optimistic that Marc would pass. 

'Gregory' continued, "I thought you'd have better taste than this." He turned back to Marc. "No offence but it's isn't like you've not got looks or the brains but there's no warmth. There's something missing…Conscious."

Marc sat like a statue, he didn't appear to react at all, Stacey knew though that this was when he was at his most dangerous.

'Gregory' continued, his tone more and more acidic. "Yes. No soul. I've couched it simple terms as you **humans** seem to believe in an astrally separate moral centre."

Marc shifted in his seat uncomfortably, he hadn't expected the bitch's ex to be a complete nutter.

'Gregory' smiled wolfishly, "It would have been easy to hit me, wouldn't it? But then the tables are turned, if I'm crazy, I might be unpredictable. Right? Wrong! I'm very, very sane. I pride myself on my stability, I'm like stone compared to you."

Marc growled through gritted teeth. "Did she put you to this?"

"That **is **interesting. You are trapped, and you then seek out the nearest vulnerable creature to you, in this case, it is your girl friend. You then pressure them or physically assault them." His tone changed from curiously innocent to commanding and interrogating. "Do you feel weak? Is that why you hit out?"

"Shut up."

"Or do you strike out in desperation?"

"Shut up." Repeated Marc insistently.

"Is there a lack of control in your life?"

"Shut up!" screamed Marc, "Shut up, Shut up, Shut up!" 

The other patrons turned their heads to the group at the table, most shrugged and returned to their drinks, one waitress hovered nervously three tables away. 

Gregory leaned over to him. "Are you in control?"

Marc sobbed onto the table. Gregory threw down a packet of tissues in front of him, stood up and walked off. He pushed the door and lightly slipped through. Stacey looked at the wreckage of her of her decidedly former boyfriend, and ran out after him.

She caught up with the dark figure striding along the High Street.

"Why the hell did you do that?" she asked tight lipped.

"Why **the hell **did you go out with him?"

"He seemed okay. Quiet…reserved…."

"…Abusive. He look's smart and nice but wind him up and watch him beat the crap out of you."

"You bastard! You think I like being hit because he hates himself. You think I enjoy it? You aren't Gregory, you just have his face."

"And his devastating good looks." 

"What are you?! How can you just keep responding to everything I send at you with a snide remark or sarcastic retort."

"Easily."

"Who are you?"

"Who I've always claimed to be."

"Enough bullshit! Who are you?"

"I am Gregory Smith, come from the dead,

Come back to tell you all, I shall tell you all."

"Don't quote T.S. Eliot at me! Who are you really!"

Gregory chuckled, " It is humanity's way, "Who? Now! Not 'Who were you?' or 'Who shall you be?' just 'Who are you, **now**! Very well…

"I am Gregory Smith, I **have** been Grigory Efimovitch Rasputin. I **have **been Gregoire St Germain. What I **shall** be I leave with you."

"What do you want?"

"For you, to come with me, to see the universe."

"You're insane. You disappear, now you think you're some kind of super…being."

Gregory grasped her hands and pushed them to his chest, "Feel my hearts beat. That's right! Hearts. Two of them!" He took her hands off of his chest and turned them in his own. "My hands are cold to you, permanently. I don't feel human. I am part of Time, I know your past and I can sense your future. I feel your breath and hear your heart."

"You're still mad."

Gregory reached out like quicksilver to grab her head between his hands. There was a flash of light and suddenly her vision was full of colour, everything looked sharper and more distinct. She was looking at the figure of a woman it seemed somehow familiar to her when it shifted into an exact image of her. She gasped as she saw herself overshadowed with a ghostly image of a little girl, an old woman, an adolescent and a middle-aged lady. The colours dimmed and she realised she was staring at Gregory again, he was smiling warmly.

Stacey gulped, "Is that…Was that…?"

"How I see you. Yes."

"How did you…?"

"My race is slightly telepathic…some of us are quite strong with this talent, especially those with older lineage."

"What was it?"

"Time. Your past. Yes. Your future, quite possibly. Even I cannot tell the future. It is against the Laws of Time."

"Even you can't tell the future…" Stacey repeated weakly, "What are you?"

"Again that question. You must really want to know."

"That's because you still haven't told me."

"I am a Time Lord."

"….a time lord."

"Yeah."

"Oh. OK"

"I'm an alien from another world."

"Right. Shouldn't you have tentacles and/or bizarrely shaped multiple heads."

"Why."

"Because you're an alien, in the infinite cosmos, there is an infinite capacity for evolution."

"Therefore there is also an infinite capacity to life to evolve similarly to another form of life. Like humanity"

"So why are you here?"

"Because I came to visit some Family."

"Oh. I thought you came to find me."

"Well…I may have some powers but I'm not omniscient, it was more of an…unexpected pleasure."

"I thought maybe you were going to take over the planet as part of some unimaginably evil plan…" Stacey trailed off.

"No."

"That's good."

"But now I'm here I want to give you the chance to change your life. Leave all this behind and come and see the Universe. All of it: Marc, this university, and this planet."

"What about my doctorate?"

"What about your doctorate, I am offering you a chance to see the theories that you're studying, time travel, wormholes and black holes. Every single physical event we can see and witness." 

Stacey realised that they had stopped outside the Grand Palace Hotel, Gregory turned to her urgently, "Look I shouldn't tell you this but I must. If you stay, then you stay with Marc, you lose yourself you draw into yourself and become lost to all. If I remember you at all, you were always the risky one. Come on take a risk again! Come on! We can arrive ten minutes later than when we left!"

"So now you travel through time!" 

Stacey wished she hadn't shouted as pedestrians were staring at them, many of them walked on but gave the pair funny expressions.

"Fine. I'll show you!"

"Show me what?"

"You'll see!"

Without waiting for a reply, Gregory strode into the hotel disappearing into a flurry of revolving doors. Stacey followed when the doors stopped spinning and found him at the reception chatting to the receptionist, she handed him his room key and shot Stacey a look that would have frozen an active volcano. They continued to an old-style lift, where Gregory punched in the number of his floor, with a shudder the lift ground up the rope.

They arrived at his floor suddenly, shaking the lift to a stop. Stacey followed as he strolled round similar corridors to find his room. It was a mahogany door with two numbers in brass screwed on, 11. Gregory flourished the key and turned it within the lock, it clicked emptily and swung open. It revealed a normal hotel room with a bed that was pristine, and a desk, overall the room was quite ordinary and normal. Apart from a large canvas trunk standing on its end. Gregory smiled and touched it fleetingly, then he fished a silver pendant on a fine chain and fitted it into a slot on the side. He twisted it and the door opened with a click and swung of its own accord leaving only empty black space to the viewer.

Gregory turned to Stacey; she looked unimpressed, "So…you expect ME to walk in THAT, a trunk."

"It's not a trunk. It's a highly advanced Space-Time Travel capsule that can travel to practically anywhere in the Universe that ever has or ever will exist."

"You are travelling through the Universe in what is essentially a glorified suitcase."

"It doesn't look like a suitcase all the time."

"Ooh Oh, does it change its outside appearance to match the environment?" Stacey bristled with sarcasm.

"Yes."

"Right."

"Just get in."

"Fine."

Stacey walked into the case expecting to find the back but instead she arrived at a pair of double doors, they swung open revealing a vast room. Her eye was drawn to the centre of the room where an elegant columned hexagonal platform stood, on this dais was a control console complete with controls of almost DaVincian complexity. In the centre of that was a glass circular column which rose up to the ceiling where it disappeared into a set circular disc. Stacey turned round as she heard the door behind her click too. This door was completely different to what she had seen on the outside, here the doors were similar to a church stained glass window, with pieces of clean coloured glass fitted to make a pattern within a mesh of shiny metal scrollwork. The door showed the image of a great tree with bright autumnal leaves that were illuminated by a bright yellow sun, within this sun was a stylised infinity symbol. The door handles were metal spirals encrusted with small stones.

"Diamonds." Said Gregory. "It reminds me of home."

"Home?"

"A long, long way away. There's more to see."

"Yes, it's very big."

"Much bigger than just one room." He gestured to two other doors, both of which were decorated in a similar style. One showed a cross between what looked like an unholy amalgamation between a starfish and a Roman villa and the other showed an elegant hall. 

"It's bigger on the outside than in." Said Stacey as if this fact were sinking for the first time.

"It's trancendentally dimensional."

"Huh?" 

"Bigger outside than in."

"Oh. It's so…"

"Technically accomplished? Artistic?"

"Huge."

"Yeah. There's more to see." 

"How much more?"

"A whole Universe of Space and Time."

"Where?"

Gregory gestured to the door from where they had entered, "Out there."

FIN


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